Improvement in grain-drills



T. D. AYLSWORTH.

GRAIN DRILL. No. 38,275. PA-TENTED APR. 28, 1863.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS D. AYLSWORTH, OFPINE BEND, MINNESOTA.

IMPROVEMENT 1N GRAiN-DmLLs.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LTHOMAS D. AYLsWoR'rH, of Fine Bend, in the county ot' Dacotah and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and improved GrainlDrill; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view, Fig. 2 a side elevation, and Fig. 3 a top view, of seed hopper and cylinder; Fig.4, a detailed View ofthe drilltube5 Fig. 5, a transverse vertical section of seed hopper and cylinder; Fig. 6, a vertical longitudinal section ot one of the bearing-rollers.

Like letters indicate corresponding parts-in all the ligures.

'lhe natureot1 my invention consists in mounting a grain-drill upon rollers ot' an improved construction, in combination with drill-tubes peculiarly made and attached to the trarne by means of springs.

lt further consists in a very simple and etlicient device for raising said tubes from the ground, and at the same time causing the dow ot' seed to cease, and also in various combinations of these and other features of the machine.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my machine, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A A represent two rollers, which are coustrueted as follows, viZzOast-iron heads are made for the ends, which heads E are provided with a recess or groove, e, on one face near the periphery, into'which the ends of planks forniing the shell or body ofthe roller` are fitted in such away that the outer surface of said planks shall be even with the periphery of the iroiLY heads, as fully shown 'in Fig. 6. The heads E are furnished with holes, through which rodsf extend, said rods being provided with a head at one end and a nut at the opposite end, by means ot which the heads E, at opposite ends ot' the roller, are drawn tightly toward each other, thus holding the planks forming the shell or body firmly in place. A rectangular frame, B, is then mounted on these rollers by'means of an axle or rod extending through the center of 'the rollers longitudinally, and having its bearwgs in the side pieces ofthe frame B.

On the front part of the frame B is mounted a seed-hopper, C, constructedin the ordinary manner, in the lower portion ot' which is placed a seed-cylinder, D, provided with adjustablesized cells a.. The shaft of this cylinder extends through one end of the hopper, and is provided with a pulley, o, to which motion is given by means ot'a cord or chain, l1, driven by a pulley, F, attached to one of the main rollers A, as shown in Figs. l land 2.

A rock-shaft, Gr, is attached to frame B underneath at its front end, to which the drilltribes H are attached by means ot' springs I' l. These tubes aie made ot' strips ot' sheet metal bent into V shape, as shown in Fig. 4; or they may be made ort' cast-iron, it' preferred. rlhe springs I are made of any suitable inaterial,and are attached at one end to the upper end of tubes H. Their opposite ends, being spread apart, are then curved, as shown in 4, and attached rigidly to-rock-shaft G, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The object ofhaving two springs and ot' spreading them asunder where they are attached to the shaft Gr is to brace the tubes ll laterally, and thus prevent them from being displaced by clods or other obstructions. The tubes Il are placed in an inclined position, as shown in Fig. 2, with their open side'uppermost, forming a channel for the tlow of the seed from the tube J to the ground. 'By being thus placed they readily pass over roots, stones, clods, Snc., without catching, and thus obviate all danger ot' breakage or stoppage from that source. The point of the V-shaped portion also is held upon the ground, and by the pressure of the springs l l it is forced into the ground as it passes' along, thus forming a groove or furrow for the reception of the seed and raising small ridges ot' loose earth at each side ot' the furrow, a portion ot' which loose earth falls back again after the tube has passed, and thus covers the seed, the remaining portion being pressed down by the roilers Aas they advance.

To the under side of the seed-hopper, and corresponding with the openings therein and with the cells in the cylinder l), a series otl ilexible tubes, J, are latt-ached for the purpose of receiving the seed as it, falls from the cells a and conveying it to the tubes H, by which it is delivered in the grooves or furrows formed for it in the ground by said tubes H.

The rock-shaft G is provided with a handlever, K, a's shown clearly in Fig. 2. This lever is attached rigidly to the shaft G, and is curved upward and backward, extending'past the seat M, its rear portion passingthrough an opening in a guide-bar. L. which bar is provided with a down upon the ground, and the cord h being' ing by the reverse movement of the lever.

By means of the screws in the bottom of the tightened at the saine time, the cylinder iscause'd to revolve, and thus the machine is put in operation by this single movement of the lever, and is as readily caused to cease operat cells a of therylinder D the cells may be varied in size, so as to sow more or less seed, as may berequired, or they may be adjusted for sowing various kinds of seed. By means of thesprings I the tubes H arelrept constantly in contact with the ground when in operation', thus perfectly adapting` themselves to the in; equalitiesol'the ground and insuiingthe proper plantingof the seed.

Itis obvious that one rolaer A muy be used instead of two, but two are preferable l'or convenien'ce in turning and operating.

From the foregoingdescription the operation will be readily seen. The hopper C is provided with the requisite kind and quantity of seed, the cells having been previously adjusted to theproper size, and the driver, being mounted upon seat M, depresses the lever K, thereby bringing the tubes AH upon the ground and i Lightening the cord h, by which the seed-cylinder is made to revolve as the machine is drawn along, thus delivering the seed from the hopper into the tubes H, from whence it ows'in a steady uniform steam into the furrow made by the point of tube Hin the ground. As themachine moves forward the rollers A pass over the seed thus sown, and, pressing down the small ridges of earth raised by the formation of the furrows, cover the grain, and at the same time press the earth iu close con tact with the seed, thereby greatly facilitatingthe process of germination, and also leaving the surface of the eld in a smooth condition, greatly aiding the passage of the leaping-machine in harvesting the crop.

upon rollers A A, in the manner and for the purposes above .set forth.:

THOS. D. AYLSWORTH. Witnesses:

GHARLEs E. HOBBY, D. STEPHENsoN. 

